Disneyland Paris is conveniently located just ten minutes by train from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), the main airport in Paris. But there are some caveats to making this trip that anyone flying in or out of CDG for their Disneyland Paris visit needs to know about. Read on to learn all about getting between Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Disneyland Paris.
The Short Versions
This post is written for people who have little to no experience with Paris / city / international trains, and is thus very detailed. But I wanted to leave a short version of instructions at the top for people who (1) just need the short version or (2) have read this before and just need a refresher. More detailed tips follow in the later sections.
How long does it take from Charles de Gaulle to Disneyland Paris?
There are two routes to get you from Charles De Gaulle Airport to Disneyland Paris. One takes about 10 minutes, and the other takes about 90 minutes. We’ll cover each of these options in this post.
How Much is the train from Charles de Gaulle to Disneyland Paris?
The faster option starts at around 20 Euro but can get higher as you get closer to the trip. The slower option will always cost right around 17 Euro.
CDG to/from Disneyland Paris via TGV
TGV trains connect Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV (at Terminal 2) to Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy (Disneyland Paris). The trip is 10 minutes nonstop but trains sometimes run only once an hour. Prices start at around 20 Euro but escalate, so it’s best to buy in advance when feasible. Recently I’ve been seeing spotty availability on different sites, but Rail Europe seems to show the best. My last trip I just bought tickets at the airport for 23 Euro.
Connect to Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV from Terminals 1 and 3 via the CDGVAL airport shuttle if necessary. Buy TGV tickets from these machines:
If you’re planning to buy from the machine with a credit card, you should read our “Note About Credit Cards” at the bottom of this post. Alternatively, you can just plan to buy from a person at the ticket counter.
CDG to/from Disneyland Paris via RER
The RER is a collection of local / commuter lines that connect Paris and its suburbs. The RER B connects CDG to Paris, and the RER A connects Paris to Disneyland Paris. The trip is about 90 minutes of train time, and the trains run around every 10 minutes. The trip always costs around 17 Euro.
The RER B stops at both Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1 (aka Roissypôle station) (for Terminal 1 and 3) and Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV (for Terminal 2). You can take the RER B from CDG to Châtelet – Les Halles and transfer to the RER A, taking it to Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy.
About Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is the largest airport in France and one of the busiest in the world. Most international flights into France fly into CDG, though a significant portion fly into Orly Airport. Most domestic flights actually use Orly Airport, not CDG.
CDG is located 14 miles northeast of Paris. It is accessible from Paris very easily via the RER B regional train line (about a 30 minute trip to Paris center). The RER B train serves two stations at CDG—Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1 (aka Roissypôle station) (for Terminal 1 and 3) and Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV (for Terminal 2).
Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV station also is serviced by TGV trains that can connect you to Disneyland Paris, which is the focus of this post.
The train stations, terminals, and some parking lots of CDG are connected by the free CDGVAL shuttle train.
About Disneyland Paris Resort and Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy
Disneyland Paris Resort is a Disney parks complex located 20 miles east of Paris center in Marne-la-Vallée (crudely pronounced “marn lava LEE”). Disneyland Paris resort has two theme parks, several hotels, and a shopping/dining district called Disney Village. With the exception of a few off-site hotels, the entire resort is walkable.
The Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy train station is adjacent to Disney Village and about one minute from the entrances to the two parks. Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy is serviced by RER A trains from Paris (about 30 minutes to Paris center) and by TGV trains that can connect you to Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy has luggage storage in the 5-10 Euro range. We don’t know how big the lockers are.
Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy also has a “Disney Express” check in service that allows you to leave your luggage at the station for transfer to your Disney hotel. You can read more about this option here.
You can walk from Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy to the parks (2 min), Disneyland Hotel (2 min), Hotel New York (6 min), Sequoia Lodge (9 min), Newport Bay Club (10 min), Hotel Cheyenne (15 min), and Hotel Santa Fe (15 min). There is also complimentary bus service to the hotels.
Getting Between Charles de Gaulle and Disneyland Paris
There are two main ways to get between CDG airport and Disneyland Paris—the RER and the TGV. The TGV is usually going to be the better option, but there are a few catches. We’ll cover both in more detail below, but here’s the quick rundown.
Taking the RER is more reliable. For around 17 Euro you can take the RER B from CDG into Paris, transfer to the RER A, and travel back out of Paris to Disneyland Paris. Total trip time will be about 90 minutes, and you shouldn’t have to wait more than a few minutes for these trains.
Taking the TGV is hit or miss. The TGV is the go-to for getting between CDG and Disneyland Paris. Why? Because when everything works perfectly you buy a ticket for 20ish Euro per person, wait a few minutes for a train, and take a ten-minute nonstop trip to Disneyland Paris. So that’s 3 Euro more per person for over an hour time saved and no stops or transfers.
There are two problems with the TGV. First, the trains run on a more limited schedule. You might have to wait 30 minutes or even longer for the next TGV train. Second, the 20 Euro tickets often sell out in advance. One trip, I paid 30 Euro per person for a train departing in an hour (I was too exhausted to take the RER).
You can Uber from CDG to Disneyland Paris, but we’ve never done it. When we’ve checked prices, it’s about 100 Euro, which would mean it’s maybe a cost-effective option for a family of four. Drive time is about 40 minutes, but you can also get taken directly to your hotel, if that’s your final destination.
Taking the TGV Between Charles de Gaulle and Disneyland Paris
We’re going to cover this in both directions, CDG to Disneyland Paris and Disneyland Paris to CDG. While the basics are the same (buy a ticket for the TGV, ride the train), there are some details that differ.
Getting from Charles de Gaulle to Disneyland Paris Via TGV
This is the direction that is much more annoying. There are two issues—besides your jetlag—that make this a slightly annoying journey.
TGV Prices and Scheduling
In all likelihood, you won’t be able to buy your ticket in advance because you never know exactly when you’ll be through passport control and customs and such, this means by the time you get to buying your ticket, you’ll have fewer options and higher prices.
You can go online and see what prices for upcoming trains look like. But, for example, I’ve seen situations where the options are either 35 Euro per person in 19 minutes or to wait almost two hours to pay 20 Euro per person.
The price issue aside, there’s still a scheduling issue. The TGV trains between Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy and CDG only run every 40 minutes or so. This means if you decide to buy a ticket for the second train because the price is significantly lower, you might have over an hour wait ahead of you.
Getting to Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV Station
The TGV trains operate from Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV station, one of two train stations at CDG. The other is Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1. Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 1 (aka Roissypôle station).
If you arrive into Terminal 2, you can just follow the signs for “Trains.” You might have a lengthy walk, as Terminal 2 is one narrow, long terminal.
Coming from Terminals 1 and 3, you’ll need to follow the signs for the CDGVAL to connect you to Terminal 2. Unfortunately I’ve never flown through these terminals, so I can’t speak confidently as to what this journey will look like. I have taken the CDGVAL, and it is very straightforward.
Buying your TGV Ticket
We covered the possible perks and perils of buying tickets in advance online above. If you’d like to do that, you can purchase them online here.
Most people will be buying tickets from these machines. You do not want to use these machines:
Instead, you want to use these machines (labeled “Grandes Lignes”):
The machines are very intuitive and have an English option. Remember, your destination is Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy. You want to buy the cheapest fare (2nd Class, Unchangeable). The lowest possible price is around 20 Euro per person. If you’re paying with credit card, read our Note About Credit Cards at the end of this post.
Keep in mind that if ticket prices and available schedules aren’t in your favor, you can take the longer trip via the RER B and RER A with a transfer. That trip costs about 17 Euro (always) and takes about 70-90 minutes depending on how long you wind up waiting for trains.
My most recent TGV experience included both printed tickets and tickets sent to me by email.
Taking the TGV to Disneyland Paris
You can see right about in the center of the ticket it has the train number, TGV 5202 (your train number will vary). There are a few departure boards at the station. When your departure time is near, the signage will update to include a track number:
Follow the signs to that track.
There might be a ticket check before you’re let into the track area:
If you want to try and find your seat, there are several electronic boards that match letters along the platform with the train cars they’ll line up with. Because the ride is only ten minutes, we never bother with this. We just stand inside the door of the car for ten minutes.
If you’re at all confused about this, just ask anyone around you for help. Most people will speak English, and you just need to ask if the train is heading to Marne-la-Vallée (“marn lava LEE”). The ride takes ten minutes, and Marne-la-Vallée is the first stop.
As noted above, Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy has luggage storage for around 5-10 Euro for 24 hours, but we don’t know how big the lockers are.
Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy also has a “Disney Express” check in service that allows you to leave your luggage at the station for transfer to your Disney hotel. You can read more about this option here.
The Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy station has plenty of signs. When you exit into the courtyard of the station, you’ll see a few security checkpoints. They all take you into the same area, but left is the direction of most hotels and Disney Village, while right is the direction of Disneyland Hotel and the parks.
As noted above, you can walk to the parks or hotels, or there is complimentary bus service to the hotels. Buses depart from the east side of the station (the standard exit to the parks is on the south side).
Getting from Disneyland Paris To Charles de Gaulle via TGV
Unlike when you’re traveling from CDG to Disneyland Paris, going to CDG you can easily buy your ticket in advance because you should know exactly when you want to be at the airport. This takes a lot of the stress out of booking your trip as you should have no problem finding reasonably priced seats on an acceptable train even a few days in advance. You can book online here.
On one recent trip, booking one day in advance my options were a little limited. For a 12:10PM flight departure (boarding at 11:10AM), the train that got us in at 9:43AM was 70 Euro for two people. We opted for the 10:34AM arrival for 38 Euro and were through security, passport control, and Starbucks just in time for the start of boarding from our Terminal 2 gate. (Note: As I update this post years later, even I’m shocked that I would have opted for getting to the airport 36 minutes before boarding. I’d never do that nowadays. Just buy the ticket in advance.)
Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy station is obviously easier to navigate than all of CDG airport and its two train stations. If you’re buying tickets at the station, you’ll want to use one of these terminals (for “Grandes Lignes”):
Avoid attempting to board the RER A if you’re taking the TGV. The RER gates are well marked and easy to avoid:
The tracks that serve the TGV trains actually form the bulk of the station and the “main hall.” I wish I’d taken a better picture of the station, but it’s generally impossible to miss the tracks.
Just check the departure board for your train’s track number and follow the appropriate signage.
You’ll be dropped off at Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV station. You can walk to Terminal 2 quickly from there (we were through security and passport control in 21 minutes on a day with no lines).
Getting to Terminals 1 and 3 requires taking the CDGVAL shuttle train, which will require an additional 15 minutes or so of travel.
Taking the RER Between Charles de Gaulle and Disneyland Paris
If you do anything in Paris other than visit Disneyland Paris, you’ll probably take an RER train. The bets way to get from CDG to Paris is the RER B. The best way to get from Paris to Disneyland Paris is the RER A. Naturally, taking the RER B and transferring to the RER A is a good way to get from CDG to Disneyland Paris.
As we discussed above, the RER trains run more frequently than the TGV and have a fixed price of around 17 Euro. The downside vs. the TGV is that you’ll be on the train for 70 minutes instead of 10 and you’ll have to transfer, so plan for an overall trip of about 90 minutes.
Unfortunately while I’ve taken the RER B between CDG and Paris, and I’ve taken the RER A between Paris and Disneyland, I’ve never done this journey all at once.
The trip itself is simple. Board an RER B into the city at CDG, exit at Châtelet – Les Halles. Board an RER A at to Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy at Châtelet – Les Halles. The only thing to be careful of is to make sure your RER A is headed to Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy.
This is usually easy. The monitors at the RER stations indicate the destinations of the upcoming trains:
The only thing I’m not 100% sure about is how to buy an RER ticket from CDG to Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy. I know I’ve tried at least once by machine and been unable to select Marne-la-Vallée—Chessy as my destination from CDG.
I believe the best option is just to go to a counter. You’ll just want to be sure you purchase an RER ticket. Helpful staff may be inclined to suggest a TGV ticket because that’s the quicker and more popular trip.
Always hold onto your RER tickets, you need them to enter and exit stations.
Note About Credit Cards
Note: I haven’t had this issue in years, in large part because tap-to-pay is more common. In any case, there are always risks of cards being declined or machines being picky, so I think this is an important reminder.
European credit cards use a Chip+PIN system where credit card transactions require you to enter a PIN. US banks don’t issue cards with PINs (to be thorough, you can get a cash advance PIN on a US card, but this is usually unrelated to the issue at hand). When buying things from people this is almost never a problem. Machines, though, are different.
My recent experience in Paris was that when a ticket machine prompted me for a PIN I would just do nothing and the transaction would just proceed in a second without me doing anything. However, I have had experiences in the past where, unable to enter a PIN, the machine simply refused to transact with my card. There are three solutions to this:
Buy from a person. Most stations (including those at CDG and Disneyland Paris) have booths where you can buy transit tickets. The staff at the booths can process your credit card.
Have cash (Euro). I only use cash for tips these days, but it’s good to acquire some in case you need it for a machine.
Get a credit card with a PIN. Again, this isn’t the same as a cash advance PIN, though I have heard reports those can work. The best option here is any card issued by Barclays. I carry an Aviator Mastercard pretty much exclusively for this purpose.
All Your Other Disneyland Paris Planning Questions Answered
Don’t be overwhelmed by Disneyland Paris planning! Take a second to check out our most important content! Just starting out? Check out our Disneyland Paris Trip Planning Guide. Need to know how much this is going to take out of your pocket? We’ve got a post on How Much it Costs to Go to Disneyland Paris.
Know what to ride with our: Disneyland Paris Rides Guide and Walt Disney Studios Park Rides Guide. And just as important, know how to get on the best rides without the wait with our Guide to Disneyland Paris Premier Access! For the complete guides to a day at the park, we have a One Day Disneyland Paris Itinerary and a Walt Disney Studios Park Itinerary.
Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.